Pride of Philippine science

MANILA, Philippines - Scientists greatly help in the economic development of a country. In the Philippines, we have a number of renowned scientists and technologists whose exemplary works and discoveries have contributed to the progress of different industries.

Here are five of the country’s scientists and their contributions:

Juan Salcedo Jr.

Dr. Juan Salcedo developed “Enriched Rice,” a rice variety fortified with vitamin B1, which helps prevent beriberi. His discovery helped reduce the cases of beriberi in the Philippines and in other countries.

A former secretary of health, Salcedo also became the chairman of the National Science Development Board in the 1960s. Through his efforts, a science community complex was built in Fort Bonifacio and a special funding system was created for technological research and development programs.

Salcedo received several awards such as the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Health, Republic Heritage Award for Science, Pro Patria Award, and the rank of National Scientist. 

Josefino Comiso

Josefino Comiso was the first person to discover a recurring polynya, a semi-permanent area of open water in sea ice, in the Cosmonaut Sea. He is a senior research scientist in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Earth Sciences Directorate.

Many of his studies involved polar processes and the detection of climate change in the polar regions. He has contributed in studying sea ice, evaluating the ice cover in Arctic and Antarctic regions, and determining the extent and scope of global warming.

Comiso recently agreed to lead a project of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources that will monitor the effects of global warming in the Philippines.

Fe del Mundo

Fe del Mundo is a world-renowned pediatrician who founded the Children’s Medical Center — the first pediatric hospital in the Philippines. She also developed a low-cost incubator and a jaundice-relieving device.

Del Mundo’s career started during the Japanese occupation by organizing a children’s home, helping Allied internees, and training medical personnel. Today, she works as the concurrent medical director of the Dr. Fe del Mundo Hospital.

Her devotion to her profession earned her a number of awards such as the Elizabeth Blackwell Award for outstanding service to mankind (1966) and Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service by a private citizen (1977).

Ramon Barba

Horticulturist Ramon Barba is known for inventing techniques to promote crop flowering. His work, which has helped develop the local mango industry, is the only invention in Southeast Asia that the World Intellectual Property Organization recognizes.

Barba’s other researches, meanwhile, focus on tissue culture of bananas, sugarcane, and other horticultural crops to develop methodologies in plant physiology and plant breeding.

Barba has received awards such as the Outstanding Young Men Award in 1974, IBM-DOST Award in 1989, and DA-Khush Achievement Award in 1995.

Edgardo Gomez

Edgardo Gomez is a distinguished marine biologist who pioneered work on the biology, reproduction, and conservation of giant clam (Tridacna gigas). He is credited for saving the shelled mollusk from extinction.

Gomez is a professor emeritus of the University of the Philippines-Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI). Under his leadership, UP-MSI has generated achievements in biodiversity, biotechnology, and sustainable use of marine bio-resources. 

Gomez was named an Academician by the National Academy of Science and Technology in 1993 and became a Presidential Lingkod Bayan Awardee in 2000.

They are only some of the great scientists of our country. Apart from promoting the growth of the national economy through their works, they also serve as inspirations of our future scientists — the Filipino youth.